We've been to Barcelona Tapas Restaurant (201 N. Delaware) twice now and I absolutely have to air my grievances (that pretty much gives you a heads up as to how this review is going to go, doesn't it?)
I'll start with the decor, because that's the best part of Barcelona. It's typical Spanish decor, very authentic, and the color palette is pleasing. There are no jamons hanging from the ceiling with their typical umbrellas, but on the bar, you have the next best thing - an entire leg of ham, from which slices can be made. And the sangria is passable. But the authenticity stops there.
Possibly the weirdest thing about Barcelona is that the menu looks like they serve a lot of authentic dishes, but when they arrive at your table, you wonder if you ordered wrong. Case in point, the pan con alioli, viewable at left. Typically, a pan con alioli is a sliced crusty bread with a garlic mayonnaise served on the side. As you can see, though, Barcelona's version is basically, the same garlic bread you'd get at your local pizza joint. Another great example is the patatas bravas which not only bear little resemblance to this traditional Spanish dish, but are limp and greasy to boot.
Overall, Barcelona has a generally pleasant atmosphere and an authentic Spanish feel. But the food isn't very good, and it saddens me to see tapas represented so poorly. Worse, Hoosiers who aren't well-traveled may dine here thinking this is what a real Spanish tapas bar is like...and it isn't.
It's a nice place to go for sangria and aceitunas (Spanish olives), but if you want authentic Spanish fare, this is the last place I'd recommend, though frankly, I have yet to discover any passable Spanish food in Indianapolis. Stay tuned...it just might happen someday soon.
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